Why let foxes into Bibi's henhouse?

What is it about Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the Muslim women in Congress, and our political ally Israel? They hate Israel and support its sworn enemies, claiming to uphold American ideals. This is the biggest whopper since Nixon said, “I’m not a crook.” You know this is true, and Bibi Netanyahu was wise to block their Trojan Horse visit to Israel.

Start at the beginning. When Rashida Tlaib was elected to Congress, she claimed it “gave the Palestinian people hope that someone will finally speak the truth about [Israel’s] oppressive and racist policies.” Didn’t she mean to say her election gave Americans in Michigan’s 13th district hope? She did not and has since given no sign she cares about anything but Palestine.

Ilhan Omar has been an even bigger anti-Israel mouthpiece; tweeting, “May Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel,” and claiming Israel paid “Benjamins” to members of Congress for their support. Again, it is doubtful her comments reflect or help anyone in Minnesota one iota. Bottom line: Bibi Netanyahu was well aware of these anti-Israel views and was not optimistic about their visit.

The trip was planned by Palestinian organization Mifta, subjectively described by the Washington Post as headed by “longtime peace negotiator Hanan Ashrawi.” The New York Times called Mifta an organization “that promotes global awareness and knowledge of Palestinian realities.” That is a not even close to “fair and balanced” reporting.

In defense of Palestinian jihadist violence, Hanan Ashrawi once told an interviewer the international community was wrong in “describing anybody who resists as [a] terrorist.” Further, Miftah’s website once posted an article that accused “Jews of [adding] the blood of Christians [to matzah] in the Jewish Passover.” This means Tlaib and Omar decided to take an anti-Semite junket rather than the bipartisan congressional delegation’s trip to Israel.

HBO’s Bill Maher was one of few liberals to expose the sham, accusing Omar and Tlaib’s support of the Boycott, Divest and Sanction [Israel] movement as a “bullish-t purity test by people who want to appear ‘woke’ predicated on the notion that Jews are mostly white and Palestinians are mostly brown, so they must be innocent and correct and the Jews must be wrong.”

Maher correctly pointed to the BDS founder’s public statements that “no Palestinian will ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine.” He’s calling BS on congresswomen who “don’t even want a Jewish state at all” – as well as the press: “somehow this side never gets represented in the American media.”

After Israel refused Tlaib’s trip, she proclaimed it her “last opportunity to see” her 90-year-old grandmother in the West Bank. Israel called Tlaib’s bluff, admitting her if she agreed “to respect restrictions [and not] promote boycotts against Israel.” Tlaib declined: “visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in.” Translation: it was never about grandma’s hug or homemade falafels.

Of course, many Democrats were outraged by restrictions put on sitting members of Congress; conveniently forgetting that Bush banned India’s current prime minister, Narendra Modi, in 2005 and Obama banned an Israeli Knesset member in 2012. Such hypocrisy fills the DC swamp.

In fact, Netanyahu enforced an Israeli law that bans any BDS activist from entering the country, because he sensed the trip was a set-up to harm the world’s perception of Israel. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri’s tweet regarding Tlaib was spot on: Her hatred of Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother. In other words, her values are screwed up and she can shove her anti-Semitism where the sun don’t shine. Bam!

By Spencer Morten

The writer is a retired CEO of a US corporation, whose views were informed by studies and work in the US and abroad. An economist by education, and pragmatist by experience, he believes the greatest threat to peace and prosperity are the loudest voices with the least experience and expertise.